Australian artist, CJ Hendry presented her latest collection, Pastel, with a VIP Opening Preview on August 5, 2026, in collaboration with Salon 94 Design on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City and Luxury Experience was there to experience it. While most art installations are strictly hands-off, look with your eyes only please, with strict policies to not touch anything, CJ Hendry’s Pastel installation encourages visitors to engage, interact, and immerse themselves with the art. The exhibition runs at Salon 94 Design until August 16, 2026.
When was the last time you entered a gallery anywhere and were actually encouraged to not only touch the art, but to interact with the art as well? If the word never immediately comes to mind, you are not alone, however for CJ Hendry, that was exactly what she encouraged, immersive participation, for her Pastel installation at Salon 94 Design on August 5, 2026.
Debra C. Argen at Pastel Exhibit by CJ Hendry
Upon entering the first floor of Salon 94 Design, invited guests were handed a basket, a plastic bowl, colorful cords, and a pair of blue pastel CJ Hendry socks with a white flower on them, with instructions that they could don the socks and immerse themselves if they chose to do so by entering in the large pit filled with CJ Hnedry’s pastel-colored beads created in whimsical shapes of bananas, dice, avocados, rocking horses, shrimp, bows, pills, pasta, running shoes, rubber duckies, flowers, and many more.
While we opted to simply run our hands through the assorted plastic beads, other guests actually climbed into the rectangular pit and stood up or kneeled in the beads and threw the beads up into the air to let them rain down on them, others took a walk through the beads, some sat in the beads, and a few guests even reclined back on them. It was definitely quite different and a unique experience, with a very playful and whimsical approach to art. After playing with the beads, guests could string any amount of selected beads on the cords provided and create bracelets or necklaces, which they could then purchase, so that they could take home a bit of the Pastel installation.
After “playtime” we visited the second floor, where framed posters of single beads graced the large wall. Bead images included a star, basketball, tooth, skull, unicorn, lips, shell, balloon dog, layer cake, heart, rocking horse, fish, spaceship, apple core, bone, smiley face, diamond, flower, and many other shapes. There were also large ceramic replicas of individual beads positioned on pastel-colored pedestals so that guests could admire the art close up. CJ Hendry’s Pastel exhibition closes at Salon 94 Design on August 16, 2026.
Until next time, keep enjoying and supporting the arts.
For more information on CJ Hendry, please visit her website or Instagram page.
The Artist
CJ Hendry
Website: https://cjhendrystudio.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/cj_hendry @cj_hendry
For more information on Salon 94 Design, please visit their website or Instagram page.
The Venue
Salon 94 Design
3 East 89th Street
New York, New York 10128
United States
Telephone: 212-979-0001
Website: https://salon94design.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salon94design/ @salon94design
Salon 94 Design Hours: Monday through Sunday from 10:00 am until 7:00 pm.
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